Ambassador class
The Ambassador class starship was a Starfleet heavy cruiser class launched in the mid 24th century. (TNG: "Conspiracy") History Construction on the first hull for the Ambassador class began in the early 24th century. The [[USS Ambassador|USS Ambassador]] was the first vessel to be launched from spacedock. One of the most notable Ambassador class ships was the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C)|USS Enterprise-C]]. In 2344, while under the command of Captain Rachel Garrett, the ship responded to a distress call from a Klingon colony on Narendra III. Four Romulan warbirds had ambushed the colony. The Enterprise responded to the attack, and defended it long enough to impress the Klingon High Council. Hostilities ended almost immediately between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. A lasting peace agreement would not be reached until 2352, but the cessation of nearly 60 years of conflict between the two powers was a welcome step toward galactic peace. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise") Ships of the Ambassador class fought against the Borg and the Dominion. (DS9: "Emissary," "You Are Cordially Invited") Technical data The Ambassador class featured the saucer section-engineering section-warp nacelle layout common to most Starfleet vessels. It was intermediate in size between the ''Excelsior'' class and the ''Galaxy'' class. The ship boasted at least three engineering levels. It was armed with both phasers and photon torpedoes with coverage to both fore and aft firing arcs. The control panels were flat-panel and LCARS based, using the interface introduced in the late 23rd century. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise") Families are allowed aboard Ambassador class ships, but only if they are related to a Starfleet crewmember who has served on the ship exceeding six months. (TNG: "Second Chances") Refits Several Ambassador class ships were seen with minor alterations from the original design. The saucer section's connection to the engineering hull was shifted slightly aft, with the nacelle pylon assembly moved a corresponding distance in the same direction. A new phaser strip was added to the lower part of the engineering hull. Cowlings were added around the Bussard collectors, making them appear closer to that of the Galaxy class, while the impulse engine exhaust changed from a blue to a red glow. The lower sensor dome became more elaborate and closer in appearance to the Excelsior class and the deflector dish was modified. Finally, the width of the shuttlebay was increased and a second facility resembling the Excelsior was mounted directly underneath the original one. Graphics were upgraded with the Starfleet insignia of the 2360s. (TNG: "Data's Day," DS9: "Emissary") The LCARS software was also upgraded to the standard interface of the late 24th century. (TNG: "Redemption, Part II") Interior Main Bridge Primary operational control of the Ambassador class starship was provided by the Main Bridge. Located on top of the primary hull, the bridge directly supervised all primary mission operations and coordinated all departmental activities. In 2344, the central area of the bridge provided seating for the captain only. Directly fore and to the right of the captain was the tactical station, with the helm station to the left. The consoles were similar to that used on the bridges of Excelsior and Galaxy class starships. At the very front of the bridge was a large viewscreen, with a freestanding console located directly below. Against the back walls of the bridge were consoles for the ops, engineering, and science positions. Additional displays flanked the aft consoles. The bridge was accessed through two doors, located on the forward halves of the port and starboard walls. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise") Ships commissioned *[[USS Adelphi|USS Adelphi]] (NCC-26849) *[[USS Ambassador|USS Ambassador]] (NX-10521) *[[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C)|USS Enterprise]] (NCC-1701-C) *[[USS Excalibur|USS Excalibur]] (NCC-26517) *[[USS Exeter|USS Exeter]] (NCC-26531) *[[USS Gandhi|USS Gandhi]] (NCC-26632) *[[USS Horatio|USS Horatio]] (NCC-10532) *[[USS Valdemar|USS Valdemar]] (NCC-26198) *[[USS Yamaguchi|USS Yamaguchi]] (NCC-26510) *[[USS Zhukov|USS Zhukov]] (NCC-26136) Appendices Appearances * TNG: ** "[[Yesterday's Enterprise|Yesterday's Enterprise]]" ** "Data's Day" ** "Redemption, Part II" * DS9: ** "Emissary" Background Very little is known about the Ambassador class starship. It was designed by Rick Sternbach, based on sketches produced by Andrew Probert for the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The design was intended to suggest an intermediate step between the Excelsior class and the Galaxy class starships. A relief sculpture of Probert's design was placed in the observation lounge aboard the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS Enterprise-D]]. Unfortunately, the model was needed for TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise" much sooner than the time it would take to fabricate the smoother lines of Probert's concept, requiring Sternbach's alterations which ended up on Greg Jein's final model. The next appearance of the Ambassador class was as the Zhukov in TNG: "Data's Day." As noted above, the model was noticeably changed after it was rehabbed to remove the battle damage it sported as the Enterprise-C. It made two additional appearances as the Excalibur in TNG: "Redemption, Part II" and the Yamaguchi in DS9: "Emissary." The model was sent to Industrial Light and Magic for possible use in the final scene of Star Trek: Generations, but it was not included. No other Ambassador class ships were ever seen in the successive series. There were unconfirmed reports that the miniature was destroyed in a warehouse fire shortly following Generations. No computer generated model was created for use in the latter part of DS9 or Star Trek: Voyager. The term Ambassador class was first used in TNG: "Conspiracy" in reference to the Starship Horatio. It was connected to the Enterprise-C design on display graphics in TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise." The dimensions and mass estimates are from the Star Trek Encyclopedia and the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual. Crew complement was established in a line cut from TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise." Therefore, these figures should not be taken as strictly canon. The bridge of the Enterprise-C, the only internal space seen in detail aboard an Ambassador class starship, was a modification of the battle bridge, which in turn was built on the remains of the bridge set from Star Trek: The Motion Picture. William Riker and Geordi La Forge were seen on the Excalibur in TNG: "Redemption, Part I," but the scene was filmed against a generic console seen in the Enterprise-D science lab amongst other locations. Apocrypha * The DS9 novel "Antimatter", mentions the Ambassador class USS Hannibal under construction at the newly reopended Okana shipyards, on Bajor surface. * The Ambassador class Excalibur was the star of the Peter David Star Trek: New Frontier novel series. * The Decipher role-playing games supplement ''Starships includes the USS Krotus (NCC-26544). * The USS Ghandi, listed here as an Ambassador clas ship, is stated as being a Galaxy class ship in John Vornholt's book Double Helix: Quarantine. External links * "Ambassador Class Variants" at Ex Astris Scientia. A full analysis of the modifications made between the Enterprise-C and Yamiguchi models. Category:Starship classes de:Ambassador-Klasse